Our Land is Your Land

With over 3,000 acres of lands, 30+ miles of trails, a dozen islands, 7 beachfront lots, a lighthouse, a historical boat house, and a headquarters full of activity, there’s something for everyone!

From the Forests to the islands…

The Trust envisions a day where you can walk from the farthest corner of Kennebunkport’s forests right down to the beach along conserved property. We strive to create a greenbelt, piecing together parcels of land bit by bit, year by year to protect for the use of our community now and in the future.

We attribute the Trust's success to our generous members.  Over the years, KCT has been extremely fortunate in receiving gifts of land and properties. Learn more about land donations here. 

Trust Properties

Emmons Preserve: 57 Gravelly Brook Road, Kennebunkport ME, 04046

Located in the heart of Kennebunkport, the Emmons Preserve has become a vital part of our community.  The site features the homestead of Steve and Natalie Emmons, which was generously donated to the Trust.  Steve's dream was to have the property serve as place for children to connect with nature.  Over the years, KCT has built a beautiful headquarters building, established trails, and created a place for the people of Kennebunkport to gather.  Our headquarters is used for outings for KCT's Trust In Our Children and Discovery Days programs.  It also hosts local nonprofit events, family gatherings, private functions and more.  You are encourage to visit and explore - take a hike, go for a snowshoe, follow the Batson River, discover on the Learning Trail or have a picnic on our deck.  

More information regarding private functions at the Emmons Preserve can be found on the Rentals page of our website.  Please note, our trails are not intended for commercial use.

Smith Preserve: 76 Guinea Road, Kennebunkport Maine, 04046

The Smith Preserve is the Trust's largest holding. It features over 1,100 acres, 10 miles of recreational trails, babbling brooks, picnic rocks, quaint bridges, and a gorgeous forested landscape. In addition to the trail system, the Smith Preserve is primarily a wildlife habitat. It is part of a 3,000 acre block of undeveloped land, the largest such piece between Kittery and Brunswick on the coast, and home to white-tailed deer, bobcats, coyotes, hares, owls, partridges, turtles, and many other species. For our human friends, the property is ideal for hiking, mountain biking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, bird watching and peaceful getaways from our busy lives.

Forestry Management at Smith Preserve

To help keep our forests strong, healthy, and diverse, the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust has invested in a forestry management plan, beginning with about a 20-acre area on the Smith Preserve.

Tyler Brook: Tyler Brook Road, Kennebunkport ME, 04046

The Tyler Brook Preserve connects a multitude of holding for the Trust, creating a greenbelt toward the coast. It begins at the junction of the Learning Trail on the Emmons Preserve and follows the Batson River into a forest with rich history, to where our tributaries meet the sea. Explore on foot through the winding trails and peaceful vistas.

Meadow Woods Preserve: 406 Mills Rd, Kennenbunkport ME, 04046

Tucked on the border of Kennebunkport and Biddeford, currently encompassing 371 acres of meadows, woods, and wetlands, with the potential to span hundreds of acres, this is the next preservation project for the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust.

The Meadow Woods Preserve will provide an outdoor gathering space, stretches of trails, dog recreational areas, and educational opportunities for our community. With the hope to bridge the gap between conservation and recreation in a new way for our town, the Meadow Woods Preserve will be a unique environment here in York County.

If you’d like to learn more or ask questions, please feel free to contact our Executive Director, Tom Bradbury, at tom@kctoffice.org or call 207-967-3465.

GRist Mill: 8 Mill Ln, Kennebunkport ME, 04046

In 2006, the Trust acquired the Grist Mill Property on Mill Lane. This historic property includes public access to the beautiful Mast Cove, the site of the Perkins Grist Mill, and the Clement Clark Boathouse. Set within walking distance to the lower village, it is a unique setting we encourage you to visit.

Each year this property is used by local school kids as they embark on historical and ecological trips down the Kennebunk River and to the Grist Mill. Students learn the history and importance of Clem Clark’s boathouse, how our towns were established in colonial days, and the role of grist mills in our early economy.

Goose Rocks Beach and Goat Island Lighthouse

The Trust holdings include seven beachfront lots. Whether you come for vacation, are a summer resident, or live here year-round, Goose Rocks Beach becomes a special spot for all who experience it. From the beach, looking out many of the islands you see are also maintained by the Trust.

On one island, Goat Island, you’ll find a lighthouse. Goat Island Lighthouse is an iconic landmark in Cape Porpoise Harbor. It was established in 1833 and has been a beacon for boaters since that time. It has seen shipwrecks, ferocious storms, generations of keepers, countless visitors, Presidents, and the most glorious sunsets in Kennebunkport.

Labyrinth

KCT’s community labyrinth is a special space that offers a chance to enjoy and connect to these beautiful lands in a different way.  The circling path is laid out in an ancient geometric pattern discovered on sites around the world dating back thousands of years.  All are welcome here to pause, to wonder, to connect, to contemplate.  The labyrinth was built with stones donated by community members in honor of their loved ones and was designed to be as accessible as possible.  

You can find it at the Emmons Preserve, along the Batson River Trail from the lower parking lot towards the Learning Trail.

We invite those who donated stones in honor of loved ones to view the temporary plaque installed by the entrance to the labyrinth site.  Please notify us of any corrections or omissions, thank you.

Ganny’s Garden: across the street from 51 OCean Ave, Kennebunkport Me, 04046

At the end of September, 2011, friends and family of Barbara Bush surprised her with a special tribute, a wonderful garden on the Trust’s River Green, in the heart of Kennebunkport. Inspired by a needlepoint carpet she created in which the initials of her grandchildren were hidden amidst a bed of lovely pastel flowers, “Ganny’s Garden” brings that beauty to life.

If you would like to support Ganny’s Garden, you can donate to the endowment fund or purchase Our Beloved Barbara from our shop.

James Woods: 25 North Street, Kennebunkport ME, 04046

In the fall of 2020 a new trail was opened to allow folks to enjoy a beautiful parcel of land in the middle of Kennebunkport. Beginning on the east side of North street, barely 100 yards from the Town parking lot, the footpath winds around a 15-acre woods donated by David and Lisanne James. Views of the tidal inlet at Mast Cove, meanders through seas of ferns, and a 24-foot ravine crossing can be enjoyed around the mile-long route. The trail includes an arched bridge over a firebreak that was dug in 1947 to help stem the spread of the great fires that year.

The creation of the James Trail was truly a community effort. And members the community will be able to enjoy this gem of a property for many decades to come.

Parking is available at 30 North Street, Kennebunkport in the public lot. The trailhead is just down the street to the right of the parking lot and across the road.